Tent and hammock support.



PATENTED APR. 30. 1907.

J. M. FYFE.

TENT AND HAMMOGK SUPPORT.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 22, 1906.

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No. 851,927. PATENTED APR. 30, 1907- J. M..FYFB. TENT AND'HAMMOOK SUPPORT.

APPLIOATIONIFILED MAY 22, 1906.

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JOHN M. FYFE, OF WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

TENT AND HAIVIIVIOCK SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Amalication filed May 22,1906. Serial No. 318,215.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN M. FYFE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Waltham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tent and Hammock Supports, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tent and hammock supports and its object is to provide a light and strong ortable support of this character which will be self-contained, and which will stand by itself without requiring the lawn or like place where it is used to be mutilated by planting poles in the ground as heretofore.

It is also the object of my invention to provide a support of this kind which will not only be portable but which may also be quickly knocked down or taken apart, and the parts packed into a small bundle for transportation or storage.

My improved support in its best form comprises a base frame adapted to rest upon the ground and connected at opposite sides thereof with the lower ends of two uprights whose upper ends are connected by a ridge pole. Near the upper ends of the uprights and preferably below the ridge pole is a rec tangular tent supporting frame made up of two end bars and two side bars, the end bars being connected near their middle to the uprights.

A feature of my invention also consists in separably joining the several bars of the top and base frames; also in separably connecting the end bars of those two frames with the end uprights, and in separably connecting the ridge pole with the end uprights. By this construction the ridge pole, and top and base frames may be separated from the end uprights and the several bars of each of said frames separated from each other. The

arts will then be. in the form of a number of lbose straight bars which may be packed together into a small symmetrical bundle which can be stored or shipped away without occu ying much space. It is also possible by tl ie above construction to use metal tubing for all of the parts thereby making the frame, when put together, light, strong and rigid, while its portability and self-supporting nature obviates the necessity of planting the end uprights in the ground and mutilatl x l 1 ing the lawn on which the frame is used and at the same time it may be shifted about at will.

Other features of my invention are hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved tent and hammock support. .Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing one of the joints between the ridge-pole and uprights hereinafter described- Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing one of the joints between the end uprights and the top horizontal rectangular frame hereinafter described. Fig. i is a sectional view showing one of the joints between the end uprights and the base frame hereinafter described. Fig. is a sectional view showing one of the joints between the end bars and side bars of the top frame hereinafter described. Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing one of the joints between the end bars and side bars of the base frame hereinafter described.

Having reference to the drawings, 1, 1 represent the two side bars of the base or supporting frame of my improved hammock and tent support, and 2, 2 the two end bars thereof, each of which may be in two sections, as shown. At the middle of each of the end bars 2 is fastened the lower end of one of a pair of end uprights 3, 3, and connecting and fastened to the upper end of uprights 3, 3 is a ridgepole 4. A short distance below ridge pole 4 is what may be called the top frame. The top frame compri cs two side bars 5, 5 and two end bars 6, 6 the latter each being fastened near its middle to one of the uprights 3.

The base frame 1., 2 is preferably made rectangular in order that it may form a supporting base for the structure of sufficient area, and also so that straight bars may be used in its constructionl The top frame 5, 6, is also preferably made rectangular in order that straight bars may be used in its c ')nstruction, to fit within and support the roof of a tent indicated by dotted lines at 7, (Fig. 1), thebottom of the tent sides may be fastened to or tucked under the bars of the base frame. The several bars of the two frames may be fastened together in any suitable manner, as may also the ridge pole and end uprights, and said uprights and the two frames, but I prefer to join these parts in the manner which I will now describe, so that they can be separated at will and packed into a small bundle for storage or transportation.

At each end of each bar 1 is rigidly fiXed a socket 8. Each socket 8 receives the end of one of the end bars 2 which fits loosely therein and is held in place by a removable retaining pin 9 as best shown in Fig. 6. Connecting the inner ends of the two parts of each bar 2 is an interiorly threaded T-socket 10, into the horizontal branches of which the threaded inner ends of the two parts of the bar 2 are screwed while the upright branch of said T-socket receives the threaded lower end of one of the uprights 3 (Fig. 1) which may be removed by unscrewing.

At the points where the top frame is connected with the uprights 3 the latter are made with sockets 11 in the form of openings extending transversely through said uprights 3. Through sockets 11, 11 extend the one piece end bars 6 of the top frame which are held therein by removable retaining pins 12, (Fig. 3). The end and side bars of the top frame are also separably connected by providing the ends of bars 5 with rigid sockets 13 into which the ends of bars 6 loosely fit. Or they may be pinned together as are the parts in Fig. 6, but when the top frame is inclosed by the tent 7 pins will not be found necessary. At the points where the ridge pole 4 joins the uprights 3, the latter are made with threaded sockets 14 to receive the ends of the ridge ole.

p When it is desired to take my improved frame apart the ridge pole is lifted off; side bars 5 of the top frame are removed, and after pins 12 are withdrawn the bars 6 are slid endwise out of sockets 11. The end uprights are then free to be unscrewed from sockets 10. The base frame is taken apart by removing pins 9 and withdrawing the ends of bars 2 from sockets 8. The support is then in the form of separate bars which may be packed together into a small bundle side by side for transportation or storage.

If desired, when the frame is set up, light guy ropes 15 may be connected at one end to the tops of uprights 3 and at their opposite ends to pins 17 driven into the ground, but such ropes will not always be required. At the several angles of the frame knobs or balls 18 may be provided which not only improve the finish and appearance of the de vice, but also provide means for fastening the tent to the frame. When so used the tent will have perforations or button holes (not shown) corresponding with the several knobs. Rings 19 are provided surrounding the uprights between the ridge pole and top frame to which a hammock 20 may be fastened.

Not only is the above described structure a knock-down structure, and therefore well adapted for transportation and storage, butit is entirely self-contained and is not dependent upon permanently erected poles. It may therefore readily be moved bodily from one place to another upon a lawn to meet changing requirement or changing weather conditions and the lawn need not be marred by pole holes nor by continued wear at one place as would be the case were the structure dependent upon planted posts.

The structure may be covered on all sides to provide a tent; or it may be covered only at the top for an awning; or it may be covered at the side to provide a wind shield, all

at the option of the user.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. The portable support above described comprising a rectangular base frame made up of two side bars and two end bars separably connected, two uprights each separably connected at its lower end to one of the end bars of the base frame, a rectangular tent supporting top frame made up of two side bars and two end bars separably connected, means separably connecting the end bars of the top frame with the uprights near the upper ends of the latter, and aridge pole separably connected at its ends to the uprights.

2. The portable knock-down above described comprising a rectangular base frame made up of two side bars and two end bars, the side bars having sockets at their ends to removably hold the extremities of the end bars, and the end barsbeing provided near their middle each with an upright socket; two uprights each held removably at its lower end in the upright socket of one of the end bars of the base frame, and each made at its upper end with a top frame socket and a ridge pole socket; a rectangular tent supporting top frame made up of two side bars and two end bars, the side bars having sockets at their ends to removably hold the extremities of the end bars, and the end bars being removably fitted into the top frame sockets of'the uprights, and a ridge pole removably fitted at its ends in the ridge pole sockets of the upri 'hts.

Signed by me. at Boston, Iassachusetts, this ninth day of March 1906.

JOHN M. FYFE.

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